7 podcasts you should listen to if you want to start a business

Flickr/Alexander MuellerYou're a busy person. In between working your full-time day job, completing your responsibilities at home, and formulating your new business plan, you have a lot going on.

While you know that reading up on how to start a company, taking night classes, and meeting with entrepreneurs to ask them how they did it is helpful, you just don't have the time or energy.

That's where podcasts come into play.

On your way to and from work, at the gym, or whenever you have some spare time, you can pop in your earbuds and listen to an informative and insightful podcast that'll supply you with knowledge on how to start a business.

The following are seven of the best podcasts out there that will teach you about how to establish and successfully manage a business of your own.

1. StartUp

If you're a fan of National Public Radio's "This American Life" and want to learn about what goes on behind the scenes of a startup, listen to StartUp. The show is produced by podcast network Gimlet Media, which was founded and is run by "This American Life" vets.

It showcases what it's like day-to-day at a business. In season one, host Alex Blumberg discussed starting Gimlet, and season two is about another company, Dating Ring. Topics include pitching, investing, and debt, and the hosts aren't afraid to get honest about mistakes they've made. It's real and enlightening.

2. Entreleadership

Entreleadership is a podcast that's named after Dave Ramsey's book of the same title. Ken Coleman hosts the show and interviews the top entrepreneurs of today. They talk about their stories and give tips to other entrepreneurs. Some recent guests include Mark Cuban, Daymond John, and Seth Godin.

3. EOFire

If you subscribe to the daily podcast EOFire, you'll never run out of things to listen to. There are more than 1,100 episodes of the show available on iTunes that cover entrepreneurs' worst mistakes and the times they had that aha moment.

There's also a "lightning round" in which host John Lee Dumas asks quick questions to "extract nuggets of wisdom" from guests. Make sure that you also follow Dumas' blog, which contains additional educational content on running a business.

4. Mixergy

Andrew Warner, founder of Mixergy, is another prolific podcaster who has more than 1,200 hour-long podcasts available on iTunes. Only the most recent episodes are free, but the rest can be accessed with a paid subscription on Warner's website. The shows include one-on-one interviews with business owners like Neil Patel of Quick Sprout and Tim Ferriss of "The 4-Hour Work Week." The host himself is a successful entrepreneur who, in his twenties, co-founded a business that made $30 million in sales.

5. Build a Badass Business

With a name like Build a Badass Business, why wouldn't you want to listen? The show, hosted by Diane Sanfilippo, a bestselling author who wrote "Practical Paleo"and "The 21-Day Sugar Detox," provides business management and marking tips. Sanfilippo cuts to the chase with her advice, advising listeners to wholeheartedly pursue their passions, be self-motivated, keep on moving forward, and always hustle.

She talks about more psychological issues like self-doubt and how to handle criticism, as well as about specific marketing topics such as repurposing Periscope videos and taking better food photos for Instagram.

6. My Wife Quit Her Job

When Steve Chou's wife was pregnant, the two agreed that she should quit working and focus on parenting. So Steve decided to start an online business to make up for the lost income. Within one year, he was making more than $100,000 through his company. On his podcast My Wife Quit Her Job, he talks specifically about ecommerce and covers topics broad and specific. Some recent episodes are about how to market your online store on Reddit.

7. How to Start a Startup

Sam Altman, the president of seed accelerator Y Combinator, hosts How to Start a Startup. This 20-episode podcast features audio from a class that took place at Stanford University.

The instructors, who include Yahoo's Marissa Mayer and venture capitalist Ben Horowitz, teach about being a great founder, how to attract investors, and building a team and company culture. Each 50-minute episode gives you advice from the best entrepreneurs around.